WASHINGTON, N.C. (WNCT) - A community shop in the city of Washington is back open up for business after Hurricane Irene all but destroyed it.
The owners say the renovations may have been just what the store needed.
"It condemned the building,” said store owner Lewis Jones. He says the hurricane ripped the roof right off of his building."
Best way to explain it is like a sardine can. It just peeled it right back you can stand in the back alley out back and see it crumpled up hanging out the back of the building,” explained Lewis.
But they got to work on fixing it, right away.
"They had this whole building gutted to the exterior walls,” Lewis said.
After five months of renovations, the store is back open for business; with a fresh new look including a raised, blacked-out ceiling and more modern lighting.
On one side of the shop is the clothing store Charisma Boutique, run my Lewis’s wife Jennie Jones.
One the other side, a variety of individually rented mini shops rightly named, the Little Shoppes of Washington.
"They bring their own merchandise in, do their own thing, it's a great idea for someone who has an idea for a business but doesn't want to sink all this capital into a rent lease,” said Jones.
The Little Shoppes of Washington has more than 20 vendors who have a chance to showcase their products.
And now that they are back open, more vendors are moving in.
Nancy O’Neill is planning out her new shop called Let's Make Arrangements.
"It’s going to be green houseplants and florals, orchids, special orders and plant accessories,” said O’Neill.
She says she's excited to try out her new business, in the new shop.
"It’s beautiful, it gorgeous. The colors are beautiful and it’s very welcoming and very warm and I’m very encouraged that a lot of people some in and shop here."
Lewis says the damage ended up being a blessing.
"We’ve been open almost two weeks and the people are really starting to come back out."
And, they couldn't be happier with how the shop turned out.
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